French Onion Stuffed Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts filled with caramelized onions and melted cheese, offering a rich, comforting flavor.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Onion Filling

05 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
09 - ¼ teaspoon sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
11 - ½ cup low-sodium beef broth

→ Cheese

12 - 4 slices Gruyère cheese or Swiss cheese
13 - 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

→ Optional Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add sliced onions. Cook, stirring frequently, for approximately 15 minutes until soft and golden brown. Add minced garlic, thyme, sugar, and salt; cook for 2 additional minutes.
03 - Stir in balsamic vinegar and beef broth. Simmer until most liquid evaporates and onions are deeply caramelized, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
04 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a horizontal pocket into the side of each breast without cutting completely through to the other side.
05 - Season chicken breasts inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill each pocket with a generous spoonful of caramelized onions and one slice of Gruyère cheese.
06 - Secure openings with toothpicks if needed. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top of each breast.
07 - Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear stuffed chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
08 - Transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when measured at the thickest part.
09 - Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly juicy while the cheese melts into the caramelized onions, creating a filling that tastes like comfort wrapped inside protein.
  • You get that deep, sweet-savory onion flavor without needing to make an entire pot of soup, which means dinner on the table in under an hour.
  • It impresses people at the table because it looks fancier than it actually is to make.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step, even though five minutes feels like forever when you're hungry, because cutting into hot chicken releases all the moisture and leaves you with something dry and sad.
  • If your pocket tears while you're butterflying the chicken, you can tie it closed with kitchen twine or simply overlap the edges and secure it with a toothpick rather than starting over.
03 -
  • Use an oven-safe skillet for the entire process so you're not transferring hot chicken and risking spills, and the searing residue in the pan adds flavor to everything as it finishes cooking.
  • If your chicken breasts are thick and uneven, pound them gently before butterflying so they cook at the same rate and the filling doesn't spill out during cooking.
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